Place: Reviews & Ratings

Been in a few times now. Can't seem to keep from going back. I have started checking the website more frequently to see if the chalked board is different. Ocktober is finally around the bend and if the selection in this place wasn't amazing enough I'm sure that Dan will blow us away again.
Favorite time to get there is around 5:45pm on Friday. Seems to be a short lull in the action before everyone and their other comes out to play. I've also been at about 11:30 Friday night and not been disapointed even though it is a mob scene the bartenders are dilligent and if you happen to leave something behind a beautiful waitress might chase you down the street just so you have your jacket. Oh and if that does happen be sure to thank her she didn't have to do it. (764 characters)

Visited the Dirty Truth with my wife Lisa this past Sunday afternoon. Fantastic location in downtown Northampton on Main St. We nearly walked by the place, which although very nicely fronted with a gigantic open air window and well stated polished metal trim, still somehow manages to lurk just under the nose of the unsuspecting passerby. As we were peering in the window, we quite quickly realized that this is Where Its At from the huge line of taps we could see as well as the good natured jeers to us from fellow beer drinkers and Daniel inside telling us there was a great place with crappy beer just around the corner. Unabashed, we wandered in and plunked ourselves down on a couple of the plethora of bar stools lining the impressively long beautiful dark wooden bar. Although we had no problem finding a seat this day, I have no doubt there will be many a night when patrons are waiting hours to grab one of these many seats.

Inside the Dirty Truth the place is clean and brand spanking new, dark red paint on the walls, with interesting artwork adorning them a la Moan style, very cool. Good and different music playing as well, something else you can always count on Daniel and staff for. The uberlong bar runs most of the length of the room, flanked by tables along side. New diverse and proper glassware is evident and all beers are served accordingly and appropriately. Excellent attention to detail on everything here, it just feels right and you know right away you wont be disappointed. Service is prompt and extremely knowledgeable, but how could it be otherwise here?

Beer selection is jawdropping, both on tap and in bottles. I thought it was tough deciding what to order at the Moan sometimes; well, the Dirty Truth is another order of magnitude beyond that. This is a place where you could comfortably sit for a LONG time enjoying the worlds best beer, good conversation, and just a great environment. Food menu appears to have just enough of exactly what youd want to go with great beer, and all of it extremely well done and put together. We sampled the mussels and sausages from the plates of goodbyeohio and thebestever who were visiting with us, and nearly had to order some for ourselves, despite the fact that wed already eaten.

All in all a great place and a new treasure to certainly rank among the best places to enjoy some of the best beer to be had. We really enjoyed our visit, from the amazing beer, to the comfy seats at the bar, to the great service provided by an obviously happy and well satisfied proprietor, Daniel Lanigan. You MUST visit, nuff said. (2,616 characters)

The Dirty Truth is well worth stopping in for a sit down meal and beer - it's very laid back and the atmosphere is so relaxing. A quick glance from the outside of the bar, it's hard to notice the small letters making out "the Dirty Truth". You walk into a dimly lit area with the bar lining the side of the wall, and long tables with high chairs jutting out from the opposite wall. The environment is warming and relaxing, with some art and canvas paintings hanging high on the walls.

The bar has many taps, probably 25 or so, and a chalkboard with the on-tap beers above the far end wall. Very conveniently, the staff organizes the beers into "light and pale", "medium", "IPA", "dark", and "belgian" on a smaller board to the left of the bar - if people do not know the type of beer listed on the chalkboard.

Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about beers. They are always happy to give you samples and always offer samples if you are uncertain about the selection.

The menu selection is very basic, but a good food to chew on with your beers are the french fries. I highly recommend the fries that are fried in truffle oil - just adds to the experience. (1,164 characters)

I have been going here since it opened, they have a constant rotating selection of only beer and wine. This is a kinds of place that one can go to learn about new beers and enjoy some of their favorites as well.They have 42 taps on the wall, plus a couple cask pumps. (rarely active) Plus over 50 bottles.At lest one of their chalk boards is always divided in to styles so one can walk in look for their fav style and see whats there.As for the food it's good bar food, and great portions. Burgers, fries, mac and cheese. one really cant go wrong.If you look to get something done, there is a wifi connection. For a less crowded then a sports bar place to watch new england sports they project the game on a screen.All and all I was there last night and will be there again tomorrow. (788 characters)

sunday afternoon, two-ish. bar is empty, owner is tending to the few beer-lovers and tourists who wander in on a lazy, sunny, yet cool day.

the place itself has high ceilings, railroad car-depth and northampton class. from the outside, all you'll see is plate-glass and silver steel. no sign necessary.. look for the happy people hoisting pints and you're in the right place. walls are dominated by a maroon/magenta crisp paint- balanced by some great large-sized pieces of intriguing artwork. boba fett in silhouette, 'as seen on tv,' and a beautiful metalworked clock, actually functioning, in the front of the bar. artwork will rotate, but on a more seriously art-conscious schedule. by the clock, there's indoor/outdoor seating overlooking a window to the street. the bar runs along the left side, stools and tables along the right. kitchen in the rear. same setup as 'moan and dove', strangely, but everything here is new, shiny, big, and smells good. give it time, daniel, crew, and fans will wear it in.

the bar itself is still untarnished wood with a good view of the forty taps this place prides itself upon. mirrors are mounted with chain links over the taps, creating a euro-pub atmosphere on a grander scale. glassware fills the shelves, all proper and sparkling crisply. the m&d team knows there is extra attention on this spot, and they have succeeded in covering their bases here.

the beer? pristine. the selection? immaculate. something for everyone. lagers, pale ales, pilsners, ipa's, stouts, porters, gueuzes, lambics, triples, etc... with 40 taps and 20 truly well-selected bottles (everything from monschambacher lager to spezial rauchbier, achel extra to rogue xs imperial stout in the ceramic bottle), how can you go wrong? 2 casks too! it's been a while since i've felt the urge to spend all day at the bar, experimenting with several new beers despite my liver's sensitivity.. i didn't buckle today but i can predict problems in the future. the selection here will make those tickers cream in their pants.

the food... small menu, reserved. upscale pub fare with a twist. seemingly the bane of the owner's existence, but it looks good. i opted for the 'sausages,' the s/o went for the mussels and frites. let me tell you, i have not had better kielbasa and bratwurst in recent memory, maybe ever. not to mention, the char-grilling was perfectly juicy in its carbon crispiness and the buttered onions were creamy, flavorful compliments. the mussels that i tried were void of sand and luxuriously creamy in a beer sauce. tender, clean mussel meat. the food was a big deal to me, and the craving for these bratwursts will bring me back just as strongly as the beer will.

service? you're being helped by one of the most passionate beer geeks around. samples, conversation, insight... what more do you want? i'm sure, at some point, the bar will be ruled by slightly-less-knowledgeable northamptonites or former dove-ishes, but the spirit of DL will inhabit all the interactions forged at this ritzy new beer bar. i saw a real desire to keep interactions here on a personal and insightful beer level, rather than succumb to the surrounding area's posh vacancy. a true beacon of northampton, infusing some really keen elements of what we all love. this place is the new gold standard on the NE tip.. respect it, come visit. don't forget the original moan and dove, but split your visits up. cross that bridge.. it's ok, jim says so. (3,466 characters)

Really loved this place. as other reviewers have pointed out there is no sign, know the address before you go and look for the tented chalkboard outside with the specials listed.

We sat at the bar both times we visited. Was blown away by the number of beers on tap and how many IPAs (my favorite) to choose from. Bartender who served us was most excellent, I wish I had gotten her name. Started with a Racer 5 then tried a Hooker IPA she got talking about the different IPAs with us as it was a favorite style of hers as well. My last try was left hand warrior and was certainly glad we were walking back to our room. Had the hummus plate to eat and hubby had the cuban with sweet potatoe fries both meals were excellent. Hubby stuck with DIPAs most of the time as was very happy with his choices as well.

we went back the next night to have just one more because we just couldn't leave without trying a couple more of the incredible selection (I counted 37 active taps) We took a look at the bottle list the second night and wished we had more time in the area to try some more of the great selection of beers they had. If in western MA add this place to your "must goes" (1,174 characters)

Came here with big expectations...love the Moan and Dove....so knew this place would be great.The previous reviews describe the place well. The atmosphere is very cool...all about beer..a little artsy...only one small TV way back in the corner.The large open front end is really great. My girlfriend and I spent a good part of our rainy Sunday here near the front....sipping great beer, eating some good food and watching the world-that-is Northampton go by ( btw, it's an interesting world...are we in the East Village again ? )Fun to watch the confused look on people's faces as they walk by...look in and try to find the the sign that will tell them what place this is...there's no sign yet. Somehow, the "beer people" know what this place is....no sign necessary. The service was really good...our waitress was very friendly, attentive and knowledgable...she patiently brought us samples of several beers...the selection on tap is mind-blowing...hard to decide. We did decide on Maudite,Scaldis,Saison DuPont,and Stone Ruination...all served in the right glassware and at the right temperature.We both liked the food...a burger w/fries and the sausage plate (awesome!)...a little pricey, but very good.The music was ecclectic...and kept low....which is as it should be....I've never understood why good bars would blast music.The place had a pretty good crowd for a Sunday ;and people , mostly couples and small groups were talking...not shouting at each other...this is what beer heaven is for me.The bottle list is amazing too, as is the display of great beers above the bar....Guldenburg and XX Bitter get their own section...as they deserve !We left to walk around town and shop a little...only to return about 90 mins later for another beer and their special veggie pizzette...which was really good.This would be a regular spot for us if we lived in the area. We drove an hour to get here from CT and will definitely return as often as we can. Well worth the drive. This is probably the best place in the country to have a beer...oh yeah, I mean the second best....cause, that other place is #1 ! (2,113 characters)

This place is, next to the Moan and Dove in Amherst, my absolute favorite beer bar.

Food: The food here is great. I try to make it in for brunch whenever I can, and the steak and eggs rivals anything you can get in the area. Plus, being able to enjoy it with an amazing beer makes the food even better.

Beers: This place has amazing beers. Its that simple. Their draught list is great - its 40 taps provide something for everyone and is riddled with beers you couldn't hope to find outside of Boston or New York (except for the Moan and Dove, which does take a back seat to the Dirty Truth's in this regard). The bottle list is not as extensive as the Moan and Dove, but does have some seriously great beers. Some people have siad the beers are pricey, and it is true if you are looking to spend $4/pint you should head to a different place and order yourself a Blue Moon, Bud American Ale, or other crappy beer. The beers here are awesome, and do have awesome beers (unfortunately) costs a bit more. That being said, their prices are in line with or better than the few other bars in the northeast that have these amazing beers.

Service: I couldn't disagree more with Britton's comments about the staff. They have always been extremely helpful and nice, and give their honest opinions about the beers. I always have a great conversation with the bartenders (unless it is very busy, which is sometimes the case), and their recommendations have been right on. I want my bartender to tell me a beer is "over-hyped" if it is; I don't take that as an insult to me and definitely wouldn't give a bad tip because I don't agree with his/her taste in beer or their honesty in describing it.

Atmosphere: I love it here during the late morning/early afternoon on the weekend. Brunch is great, its not that packed, and you can have some great conversations with the bartenders and other patrons. It does get a little too busy for my liking during the evening, particularly on the weekends, and sometimes get loud enough that you can't really have a conversation with more than 2 people (if you can find a seat for more than 2 people). When it does get busy, I just head over to the Moan and Dove, which has the best vibe in the area.

Fantastic -- you will not be disappointed. Went on a summer weeknight for an Avery Maharajah and a Southampton Imperial Porter. About 30 great beers on tap, with emphasis on American, including lots of Dogfish, Bear Republic, Stone, etc. Limited range of food but what we had was very very good. The chicken pot pie was so awesome that my wife asked for the recipe and the cook wrote it out for us personally! Wow. Free tastes offered of any draft on request, well-chosen bottle selection, again emphasizing American craft. I wish I could go here every week. (558 characters)

One of my favorite spots. Always an amazing tap list and really great place to have a conversation without a TV blaring. One issue is the service: I've had some great beer conversations there, but there is also a bit of standoffishness with some of them. (256 characters)

Thanks to the advice of several BA's, I finally made the drive out to western Massachusetts. I had to check out the Moan and Dove naturally, and The Dirty Truth, just 10 minutes away, was a logical next stop...

If you're not paying attention, you'll pass right by the building, since the name isn't on it. Look for a white building with a large window...it's right across the street from "Taipei Tokyo"...

Once you step inside the Dirty Truth, the space is very long and rectangular, but not too narrow. The bar on the left seats about 24, and roughly 8 tables on the right supply another 50-60 seats. The environment is very modern-looking, clean, slightly avant-garde. The lone TV, in the far right corner, is practically an afterthought. Of course, when you look at the selections on the blackboard, you remember why you came here in the first place...

40 taps. Not a wasted space among them. DeRanke, Duchess, Saison Voisan, Unibroue, Ridgeway IPA (cask)...etc, etc. I ordered a Rogue Dead Guy, followed by Stone Ruination, but I had the opportunity to try several other beers as well, thanks to the outstanding service...

I had the good fortune to visit the bar while the 2 owners, Daniel and Jerry, were on the premises. Daniel was in fact tending the bar, and when I explained I had made the trip from New Jersey, he seemed genuinely pleased. We had a chance to talk for a few minutes before he had other customers to attend to, and he offered several nice-sized samples for me to try...unexpected and appreciated.

If you want a good bottled beer, there are only 20 available, but it's a high-quality selection. There's also various types of food if you're hungry, though I didn't have any on this visit...

Another nice element is the irreverent humor. One example...a small blackboard in the back advises "You should drink cask ale, it's the shit." For real...

Based on the quality, selection and service, I expect The Dirty Truth will quickly climb the charts on Beer Advocate...highly recommended.

**Stony's Biscuit** - Since The Dirty Truth is only a short drive away from its sister bar, The Moan and Dove, its natural to visit both places on the same trip. But if you're only going to one bar, you may want to stick with The Dirty Truth if: you're with a group, you want a better draft selection, you want some food with your beer, and/or you want to be in an area where you can walk around and do some window shopping... (2,459 characters)

Entered through a deco brushed aluminum vestibule, long iron and wood bar along the left wall, high tables to the left. One larger table in front of the windows facing the street. Absolutely amazing wall clock to the right as well. The large front windows fold open lending an al Fresco/patio ambiance and more direct observation of the Northampton sidewalk traffic.

40 taps, 20 bottles as advertised. Something for everyone. Even open minded Budmilloors drinkers with a tiny bit of imagination could find something here. Daniel Lanigan is the proprieter...nuff said on the beer selection. You won't find a beer menu that has had as much thought put into it.

The food: Wow! I think I'd travel almost as far for the food as the beer. 10-15 menu choices, all solid and well integrated with the beer served. Mussels with coriander, orange, fennel and Allagash Wit broth. Also, 90 Minute homemade ketchup and Arrogant Bastard mustard. Both carniverous and veg. choices Several notches above pub fare. Pricing is reasonable and competitive for the area.

Service was prompt, pleasant, attentive, and very well versed on the beer and the food. If I didn't know it was their third service, I would have thought they've been at it for years.

Eccletic mix of folks made for the same friendly Moan & Dove vibe I've grown to love....add in a slightly hip, deco, industrial, Euro, artsy backdrop and extremely thoughtful menu selections. I'd bring both my Dad and his wife here. Atmosphere brings back good memories of European bistro beer bars (Mons & Naples), and hints of Tornado in SF.

Clearly, the Dirty Truth is an extract of the best elements of vast observation and experience; translated into an incredible vision executed flawlessly! (1,737 characters)

This place is amazing! On a recent visit over the weekend, stopped at this place. The atmosphere is very nice, not too bright and not too dim. The beers are all written in chalk on the chalkboard in a very colorful and festive manner. The taps span almost the length of the bar and the selection is impeccable. They had Founders Breakfast Stout which is one of the beers I have been itching to try so I had to grab it. There was not a macro beer in sight and the service was quick and helpful. The price was reasonable for beers that are harder to find. There were alot of beers that I cannot find in CT so this was a really good place to go. I did not order any food as I had previously eaten, but from what I saw it looked good. I really enjoyed this place and will recommend it to anyone who is thinking of a road trip to Mass. (830 characters)

I was traveling to MA for work purposes, and Northampton wasn't really on my way to my next destination, so I took a bit of a detour to visit The Dirty Truth. Definitely worth it!

I passed by the bar at first because there's no sign outside, but realized I'd found it when I saw some of the artwork on the wall inside that I recognized from their website. The owner doesn't intend to put up a sign, which I dig. So if you're heading there just look for a bar in the middle of the block with a white facade. You'll know you're in the right place when you walk in and see shelves stacked with the appropriate glassware for the 40 beers they have on tap. And if you need further confirmation have a seat at the bar where you'll see "The Dirthy Truth" printed on their coasters.

The staff was welcoming from the beginning. I was approached quickly after taking a seat at the bar and my beer was in front of me shortly thereafter. The only thing that slowed the process down was my inability to decide what to order...the selection was awesome! I also ordered dinner, which I didn't wait long for and it tasted good too. I'd say their menu is on the smaller side, but I think the variety is good (better than the average bar food) and there's an item on there to match any appetite.

The atmosphere also added to my experience. The walls are a deep red, with one wall displaying pretty cool artwork. I'd have to say one of my favorite parts of this beer hall was the lighting, especially above the bar. The naked lightbulbs that hang above the bar are very simple, yet I really liked what they added to the space.

Last but definitely not least, the service is what really made my day. After traveling solo and driving all day, it was nice to strike up a conversation with the bartender, and find out they LOVE customers who appreciate beer! Unfortunately I had to eat, drink, and be on my way, especially since I planned to visit the first bar opened by the owner, The Moan and Dove. But after spending just a little time at The Dirty Truth, I felt less like a visitor who was there for the first time and more like I feel when I'm at one of my regular bars back home.

This bar is one I'd definitely recommend, especially if you're anywhere within a 100-mile radius of Northampton (like I said, I took quite a detour). (2,331 characters)

Fantastic service, wonderful atmosphere, imaginative menu with super fresh, localingredients (I only wish they had a few more vegetarian options, but the ones they do have are excellent)...and the tap list!!! wow! At least 40 taps, and the selection is pretty amazing.They always have a great balance of local breweries and breweries from around the US and the world. I've been lucky enough to be there when they had what seemed like a total surprise tapping of KBS, Backwoods Bastard, a Maine Beer Co. tap takeover, and many other treasures.So, so good! (557 characters)

Love this place! We make the drive at least once a month from CT for the liquid goodness. Had a Dogfish Palo Santo and a Double Bastard last visit which were both poured with perfect heads and in proper glassware. The bartenders are always willing to let you taste before you buy and are pretty knowledgeable about what they are pouring. There is always a nice variety of beers both on tap and bottled. Some of their beers I've only seen on tap here. The food has always been good as well. I had an excellent Cuban sandwich with sweet potato fries and my girl had amazing mac and cheese this visit. Some of their beers might be considered pricey if you're used to paying $4 a pint at your local establishment but I have no problem paying a bit more for such great beers. Slainte! (779 characters)

The Dirty Truth kicks ass. Beer selection is phenomenal. 40 taps and tons of bottles. Something new everytime I go in the place. What I love is the layout and the fact that it is very, very clean. It screams cleanliness and you know when you order a beer that the lines are clean, the glasses are clean and the beer is poured properly. The staff are nice enough and if you are lucky they will talk to you about the beer. Some of the staff are seemingly not all that interested in what is around them (i.e. amazing beer) and that might be the only negative. The food is outstanding and I recommend getting the soft pretzel since its housemade and served with 60 Minute mustard. Join the mug club as well, its free and you get a card with a ton of beers that you'll need to get signed off on once you drink them. It makes things interesting when you go back...and you will go back. (879 characters)

So I've heard (both here and from the friends) that this place is great; and that the staff is a little "snotty" (I paraphrase here) I have been a few times and didn't pick up on any excessive attitude. The guys behind the bar were helpfull with any questions I had and didn't seem to care about my choices either way(Victory Uncle Teddy's Bitter and a Great Divide Samurai, never had a rice beer before, interesting). The place was clean, the glasses were clean and the beers were great. I imagine it's apples to oranges compared to a Friday night, but on Monday, the place is great.

The atmosphere is wacky, but very arty-cool: ever changing artwork, Bob Dylan tunes, half coaster made tap markers. They also always seem to have dead flowers behind the bar, not sure if it's on purpose, but they're there every time.Beer selection is stupendous, and it seems to change frequently from the times I've been.

The prices seem a little high, but then if you think about the cost balance most bars have between the macros and craft brews, it makes sense. They're charging what they should to keep thier business going without the benefit of cheap and profitable bud light etc to pad thier cost percentages.

The food is phenominal. The burgers appear to be hand formed, they're well seasoned and you can add just about everything you want from carmelized onions (free) to pate. In fact, you can add pate to just about everything. Today; though' the menu was limited because they are starting a new menu tomorrow, but my friend and I both left satisfied.

I'll be going again, and again. This could be my new favorite place, but I'm new to the area and I have more to try. (1,672 characters)

Unbelievable, this really is the only word, where else can you get a Polish Porter that literally you have never seen or heard about before? Nowhere, except, listen I'm a huge beer lover and they have beers that boggle my mind.

I used to live within walking distance to this bar, and we took advantage of it. Never eaten there but the tap and bottle list is even better than the Moan and Dove.

No sign out front, push through the velvet curtain as you come in, modern yet conservative furnishings.

How can you beat front windows onto Main St. of Northampton that they remove so you can have your beer and enjoy the sounds and people of the sidewalks.

This was my first visit to the Dirty Truth. The draft list was exceptional, I didn't know where to begin. We sat at the bar and the bartender Rebecca was great, super friendly and very knowlegable about the draft list. The only downside I felt about this place was the food. Overpriced for what it is and very average flavor. The sausage plate was 13 or 14 dollars and was 1 piece of kielbasa about 2 inches long cut in half with another homemade or local sausage with some grilled onion. The Mussels and fries came out cold and wasn't worth the 13 dollars. I will definetely go back to this place, but maybe stop in next door for a burrito at the Mexican joint. (662 characters)

We had tickets to a show at the Iron Horse and searched the BA for a place to go preshow. This may be the best bar I have ever been in. It has a great casual vibe that you don't find everywhere. It was not too busy, so we were treated to great service from several of the staff. One or two dropped by our table just to chat or to see how are current beer was. Obviosly, they have a great tap selection. Our server helped us with great recommedatons. The food was great too. We had a cheese plate which was incredible (our waitress was excited to talk about this menu item). We followed this with the sausage plate and mac and cheese. These were great too. Over all, an incredible place that I will soon return to. (713 characters)

I have been to the dirty truth a couple times and overall I was very impressed. Daniel definitely sets up a great menu with many different styles on draft. The food was pretty good and the beer list is exceptional. The bartender's know their stuff and it is definitely a must stop if you're ever in Northampton. Definitely on my top 5 for beer bar's in the country.

There is no sign on the front just big beautiful windows and it has a long bar with sit up bar tables up against the wall. I've always sat at the bar just to gave at the 37 taps against the wall. The beer selection has always had some above average taps to come incredible things like De Ranke and Delirium. Will visit many times again and i can't wait to see what they have on tap then. (754 characters)

My son's teacher suggested we take him to the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst...y'know, the guy that wrote "The Very Hungry Caterpillar?" I realized that is a spectacular idea because I can work in a lunch trip with the family to one of the area's solid beer bars. The winner is The Dirty Truth. It's an extremely clean place with a wicked long bar and a wall full of about 40 taps. Pretty chill scene, slightly upscale but some hipster doofus mixed in. A couple of booths in the back, raised tables with barstools throughout.

Our server (Benjamin I think?) was excellent. Our almost 5-year-old decided on fried chicken and a pancake and when it came out Benjamin said, "hey, we figured it might still be too hot for the little guy to eat, so here's a fruit salad in the meantime." Well, how cool is that? He knew his beer pretty well and helped out with one I hadn't come across before (Bear Republic End 08). All the staff we came across were mellow, helpful and attentive.

The food was good for brunch; the Beautiful Bride had a breakfast vegi burrito which was good...my andouille & mussels omelette was solid (may work a little closer to the jambalaya feel with shrimp or crawfish if you ask me...I generally don't like to mess with that stuff unless I'm pulling mussels from the shell, as Squeeze would vouch). Jr.'s fried chicken looked and tasted pretty legit.

As mentioned, about 40 taps. They're not wasting a single one, either. Quite a few from Stone, Bear Republic...hell, still Founders Breakfast (it wasn't playing too badly, either). The Beautiful Bride had a Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen...a clean, sessionable classic. Nice bottles, too...including KBS. At $14 a pop for KBS it falls right around the 2x restaurant mark-up. Ok, maybe a C-hair above but who's counting.

Brunch entrees were between $9-11 or so. Not dirt-cheap but not ridiculous. Pints ran around $6 for the most part. Ditto. Not pricey, but not bargain-basement, either.

This place is definitely worth a stop-in if you're in the area, and is deserving of the praise I've seen. Something tells me that Jr. will want to go back to the museum again in a couple of months. Will be interested in the true lunch/dinner fare the next visit. (2,217 characters)

Back home for the holidays, so of course I had to check out the Doves new baby sister. Easy to find at night by the red lights glowing down on the sidewalk, tiny coaster on the outisde bears the establishments name. Once you walk fast the big black curtains you gaze upon a long ass bar with an equally long ass line of 40 taps. High bar tables lined up against the other wall offers plenty more seating. They also offer table service and food here.. The space is minmally decorated with what I assume is locally rotating artwork. Deep red walls and an immaculate bar add to the great vibe here. I arrived a few hours after the DFH tasting had ended, but there was still World Wide Stout left on draft so I ordered my first and it was served up in a oversized DFH snifter (very nice) and the beer was an awesome dessert after heavy Italian food at Spoleto. Bottle selection is hand picked favorite representations of many styles, and doesnt disappoint. However I stuck to the the drafts, highlights were the Racer 5, Midas Touch 05', and 90min IPA. Menu looked tasty but we just snacked on a delicous cheese plate. They bartender who took care of we was super knowledgeable and friendly. So great to have this place to look forward to on trips home. Talk a walk around noho and check out the great locally owned shops, resturants and music venues, but absolutely do not leave with out a stop at The Dirty Truth. (1,411 characters)

This time around, the bar's been open a good bit longer and has manged to build up the sort of reputation one would expect from the younger, more refined, sibling to The Moan & Dove.

On this visit I managed to time it during what must be an artist transition phase, as the crimson walls were sadly lacking adornment. Everything else was much the same as my first visit, so I'm keeping my atmosphere score the same. However, I'll note a few things that caught my attention just so Daniel doesn't think some non-critical, pansy-ass reviewer has hijacked my account:
1. There's a broken mirror behind the bar that needs fixing.
2. A ketchup squeeze bottle for a soap dispenser just really doesn't fit the chic decor.

The waitress on my visit was terrific, and the bartender (Eric) is above reproach. The only reason the service rates a 4.5 rather than a 5 is, when this place gets hopping, the lone waitress can get a bit overwhelmed.

Food was great. Of particular interest to me was the absence of the Hangar Steak I had found uninspiring on my last visit. The Cuban sandwich with sweet-potato fries I had in its place was delicious. It may not be Haute cuisine, but it was certainly perfect beer-bar/pub food.

Selection is great, with the 40 tap lines of nothing but top-quailty choices. However, as TDT is rising to beer-bar stardom, I wanted to offer a few thoughts:
1. IPA/DIPA - Are they really so sought after that the menu needs to be lopsided with them? On the night we visited, I can recall seeing Stone IPA, DFH 60 & 90, Offshore IPA, Maharaja, Big A IPA, Hercules, Racer 5, and probably at least 1 other I've forgotten.
2. It's Summertime - Where were the pilsners & kolschs? I don't think I saw a single of either on tap (It turns out they put Prima Pils on the day after my visit). This wouldn't have bothered me if I didn't see so many IPA choices. Unlike the Moan & Dove, TDT does not sport an exhaustive bottle menu, making tap variety (IMO) infinitely more important.
3. Casks. I just don't get this one. The policy, apparently, is that the casks are put out every Thursday. When they kick, the engines are left wanting until Thursday arrives again. I've been to several beer bars with far less pedigree than TDT where the engines were kept stocked every night of the week. I simply can't comprehend why the Dirty Truth, "Northampton's most hopping bar 7 nights a week", doesn't keep cask ale on tap 7 nights a week.

So, just a few things I see that could use correcting and TDT would be perfect. Damn, that last 1/2 a point is a bitch.